Absurd Person Singular - TNT
It's Christmas Eve three times over in Alan Ayckbourn's dark 1972 comedy, as a trio of unhappy couples gets together year after year. Tellingly, we only see what's going on in their kitchens — the panic, the despair and the less palatable truths behind the false bonhomie. In a top-notch cast, Lia Williams is excellent as her silent suicide attempts are inadvertently foiled by the guests she's forgotten to cancel; Jenny Seagrove's condescending banker's wife downs far too much gin; and Jane Horrocks (happiest in rubber gloves) scrubs away hilariously as a compulsively cleaning housewife. As this seasonal — but far from festive — revival draws to an end, her irredeemably unpleasant, social-climbing husband (David Bamber) gloats triumphantly over the clique of middle class acquaintances who will always despise him.
Garrick, Charing Cross Rd, WC2 (0870-040 0083). Until March 22. £45-£15
Monday, 7 January 2008
Marianne Dreams - TNT
Like many stories written for youngsters, Moira Buffini's adaptation of Catherine Storr's 1958 novel has a disturbing darkness about it. And there's also the discomfiting hint of the possibility of child mortality as Marianne contracts a severe viral illness on her 10th birthday. Confined to her bed for many long weeks, she passes the time drawing with an old pencil unearthed by her mother.But what she draws in her waking hours becomes the subject of her feverish dreams and, in sleep, she returns again and again to the roughly sketched house where she befriends partially paralysed Mark and is pursued by menacing stones endowed with eyes. There are lighter moments, too, when she dances round her bed like a ballerina in pyjamas, but Freud would have a field day interpreting the manifestations of her vivid imagination as nightmarish episodes overlap with reality. Yet despite the computer-generated graphics and a storyline which holds the attention, director and choreographer Will Tuckett's production lacks that elusive dusting of magic which distinguishes the very best of children's theatre.
Almeida, Almeida St, N1 (020-7359 4404). Until January 26. £29.50- £6
Like many stories written for youngsters, Moira Buffini's adaptation of Catherine Storr's 1958 novel has a disturbing darkness about it. And there's also the discomfiting hint of the possibility of child mortality as Marianne contracts a severe viral illness on her 10th birthday. Confined to her bed for many long weeks, she passes the time drawing with an old pencil unearthed by her mother.But what she draws in her waking hours becomes the subject of her feverish dreams and, in sleep, she returns again and again to the roughly sketched house where she befriends partially paralysed Mark and is pursued by menacing stones endowed with eyes. There are lighter moments, too, when she dances round her bed like a ballerina in pyjamas, but Freud would have a field day interpreting the manifestations of her vivid imagination as nightmarish episodes overlap with reality. Yet despite the computer-generated graphics and a storyline which holds the attention, director and choreographer Will Tuckett's production lacks that elusive dusting of magic which distinguishes the very best of children's theatre.
Almeida, Almeida St, N1 (020-7359 4404). Until January 26. £29.50- £6
Jack And The Beanstalk - TNT
Gimme Gimme Gimme writer Jonathan Harvey tackles a more conventional form in this bland reworking of a traditional staple. Helen Baker has a great pair of legs as the eponymous Jack (who trades the family cow for a handful of magic beans, then climbs the beanstalk to vanquish the malevolent giant) but is outshone by Alison Pargeter's Princess Melody with a tuneful trill at the end of every sentence. Overall, the panto is high on energy, but low on innovation – though the bum-wiggling sing-along has its moments. Ultimately, the production fades as swiftly from the memory as melting snow and, even at this time of seasonal good will, that's not enough to recommend it.
Barbican, Silk Street, EC2 (020-7638 8891, 0845-120 7515). Until January 12. £35 - £12
Gimme Gimme Gimme writer Jonathan Harvey tackles a more conventional form in this bland reworking of a traditional staple. Helen Baker has a great pair of legs as the eponymous Jack (who trades the family cow for a handful of magic beans, then climbs the beanstalk to vanquish the malevolent giant) but is outshone by Alison Pargeter's Princess Melody with a tuneful trill at the end of every sentence. Overall, the panto is high on energy, but low on innovation – though the bum-wiggling sing-along has its moments. Ultimately, the production fades as swiftly from the memory as melting snow and, even at this time of seasonal good will, that's not enough to recommend it.
Barbican, Silk Street, EC2 (020-7638 8891, 0845-120 7515). Until January 12. £35 - £12
Monday, 31 December 2007
The Seagull/King Lear - TNT
Director Trevor Nunn isn't letting anyone go home early with either of these RSC productions which arrive in London via Stratford and an international tour. His leisurely but atmospheric production of The Seagull proves, for the most part, to be a straightforward account of Chekhov's 1896 tragi-comedy. It's full of people with too little to do, thwarted in love and in their careers, and always at risk of making their unsatisfactory lives even less fulfilling. On the whole, it's the less showy roles that make the most impact. Though a predominantly shrill Frances Barber is ultimately moving as ageing actress Arkadina (clinging, with a "last chance" desperation to her novelist lover as he falls under the spell of admiring teenage neighbour Nina), newcomer Richard Goulding is every bit as impressive as her aspiring playwright son Konstantin. Jonathan Hyde's commitment-phobe Doctor sings to drown out the pleas of Melanie Jessop's married Polina, and Ben Meyjes is sadly comic as teacher Medvedenko who marries Monica Dolan's despondent, openly alcoholic Masha, even though it's Konstantin who has captured her heart. Meanwhile, William Gaunt's rueful portrayal of ageing, ailing Sorin leaves no doubt that his life has been one long disappointment.
Gaunt shares that role with Ian McKellen who is presumably saving some energy for his thoughtfully poignant performance as the misguided King Lear who splits his kingdom and disowns a daughter. Packed with misplacedfraternal trust, this tragedy unfolds against the backdrop of a crumbling theatre and an insistent soundscape. McKellen convincingly conveys Lear's decline from shaky old age to the bewildered confusion of a senility hastened by the callous behaviour of his older offspring - a sadistic Regan and Frances Barber's icy Goneril . Yet, stripped of finery, status and much of his sanity, he still remains tenderly protective of Sylvester McCoy's loyal, spoon-playing Fool as they shiver together in the storm.
New London, Drury Lane, WC2 (0870-890 0141). Until January 12. £40-£15
Director Trevor Nunn isn't letting anyone go home early with either of these RSC productions which arrive in London via Stratford and an international tour. His leisurely but atmospheric production of The Seagull proves, for the most part, to be a straightforward account of Chekhov's 1896 tragi-comedy. It's full of people with too little to do, thwarted in love and in their careers, and always at risk of making their unsatisfactory lives even less fulfilling. On the whole, it's the less showy roles that make the most impact. Though a predominantly shrill Frances Barber is ultimately moving as ageing actress Arkadina (clinging, with a "last chance" desperation to her novelist lover as he falls under the spell of admiring teenage neighbour Nina), newcomer Richard Goulding is every bit as impressive as her aspiring playwright son Konstantin. Jonathan Hyde's commitment-phobe Doctor sings to drown out the pleas of Melanie Jessop's married Polina, and Ben Meyjes is sadly comic as teacher Medvedenko who marries Monica Dolan's despondent, openly alcoholic Masha, even though it's Konstantin who has captured her heart. Meanwhile, William Gaunt's rueful portrayal of ageing, ailing Sorin leaves no doubt that his life has been one long disappointment.
Gaunt shares that role with Ian McKellen who is presumably saving some energy for his thoughtfully poignant performance as the misguided King Lear who splits his kingdom and disowns a daughter. Packed with misplacedfraternal trust, this tragedy unfolds against the backdrop of a crumbling theatre and an insistent soundscape. McKellen convincingly conveys Lear's decline from shaky old age to the bewildered confusion of a senility hastened by the callous behaviour of his older offspring - a sadistic Regan and Frances Barber's icy Goneril . Yet, stripped of finery, status and much of his sanity, he still remains tenderly protective of Sylvester McCoy's loyal, spoon-playing Fool as they shiver together in the storm.
New London, Drury Lane, WC2 (0870-890 0141). Until January 12. £40-£15
Cinderella - TNT
Stephen Fry is a clever man and he doesn't hide the fact in this saucy version of the seasonal favourite, which boasts a semi-closeted gay Buttons, an irrelevant lovesick cow with lashes to die for, and Sandi Toksvig as a diminutive gender-bending narrator with a tache. But he's astute enough to provide something for everyone in this innuendo-packed panto. There's Joseph Millson's smooth-skinned Prince Charming getting naked in the shower and a hairy-chested Dolce (plus her equally Ugly Sister Gabbana). There's also singing white mice to keep Madeleine Worrall's girl-next-door Cinderella company as she bemoans her lack of cleaning products, a sprinkling of intentionally duff jokes and some cracking quips, too. A couple of slapstick sequences need tightening but otherwise this is a fun-filled and rather risqué show.
Old Vic, The Cut, SE1 (0870- 060 6628; www.oldvictheatre.com). Until January 20. £10-£40
Stephen Fry is a clever man and he doesn't hide the fact in this saucy version of the seasonal favourite, which boasts a semi-closeted gay Buttons, an irrelevant lovesick cow with lashes to die for, and Sandi Toksvig as a diminutive gender-bending narrator with a tache. But he's astute enough to provide something for everyone in this innuendo-packed panto. There's Joseph Millson's smooth-skinned Prince Charming getting naked in the shower and a hairy-chested Dolce (plus her equally Ugly Sister Gabbana). There's also singing white mice to keep Madeleine Worrall's girl-next-door Cinderella company as she bemoans her lack of cleaning products, a sprinkling of intentionally duff jokes and some cracking quips, too. A couple of slapstick sequences need tightening but otherwise this is a fun-filled and rather risqué show.
Old Vic, The Cut, SE1 (0870- 060 6628; www.oldvictheatre.com). Until January 20. £10-£40
Monday, 24 December 2007
The Life & Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Parts I & II - TNT
David Edgar's fast-paced reworking of his 1980 landmark adaptation has a smaller cast (27 playing more than 100 parts) and — even at 6½ hours — a shorter running time. It is still a considerable commitment from actors and audience, but it's one well worth making as the hustle of London, the squalor of the infamous Dotheboys Hall and the quirky Charles Dickens characters come to life. As penniless Devonshire-born Nicholas and his sister Kate try to make their way in the world, the bad (David Yelland as their wealthy Uncle) and the good (the flame-haired Cheeryble brothers), the poor (Richard Bremmer's damaged, knuckle-cracking Newman Noggs) and the rich are all to be found in this epic, which brought the audience to its feet at curtain call.
Gielgud, Shaftesbury Ave, W1 (0870-950 0915). Until January 25. £49.50-£20
David Edgar's fast-paced reworking of his 1980 landmark adaptation has a smaller cast (27 playing more than 100 parts) and — even at 6½ hours — a shorter running time. It is still a considerable commitment from actors and audience, but it's one well worth making as the hustle of London, the squalor of the infamous Dotheboys Hall and the quirky Charles Dickens characters come to life. As penniless Devonshire-born Nicholas and his sister Kate try to make their way in the world, the bad (David Yelland as their wealthy Uncle) and the good (the flame-haired Cheeryble brothers), the poor (Richard Bremmer's damaged, knuckle-cracking Newman Noggs) and the rich are all to be found in this epic, which brought the audience to its feet at curtain call.
Gielgud, Shaftesbury Ave, W1 (0870-950 0915). Until January 25. £49.50-£20
A Christmas Carol/The Magic Flute - TNT
With their infectious enthusiasm and boundless vitality, it's impossible not to be swept away by the joyful atmosphere of these new versions of two old favourites as reinterpreted by South African company Isango/Portobello Under the lively direction of Mark Dornford-May, they take most liberties with Dickens' seasonal staple, turning Scrooge into a successful business woman who has worked her way up from the township (seen in video footage) and isn't prepared to give anything back. Cratchitt toils in her goldmine, and his sickly child is now a daughter, Tiny Thembisa who comes looking for sponsorship for her school. Thrillingly evoking the miners working underground with a vibrant mixture of effective lighting, dance, song and Stomp-like effects, this triumphant production starts on a high note and goes on to ensure that Dickens' message of redemption and Christmas spirit still comes across loud and clear but with a particularly South African resonance.
The Magic Flute isn't quite as inventive or moving but it's just as vivacious. Mozart's operatic score has been attractively rearranged for a mini orchestra of marimbas and half-filled glass bottles played by the cast with broad smiles of pure enjoyment. The xylophonic sounds create a unique lilting rhythm against which Tamino sets out to save Pamino, daughter of the Queen of the Night, from the high priest Sarastro. Masonic rituals are replaced by Xhosa-like rites of passage, but all ends happily in this relocated allegory in which even Zamile Gantana's tubby, weak-willed but rather endearing Papageno finally gets his equally tubby gal.
Young Vic, The Cut, SE1 (020-7922 2922). Until January 19. £21.50-£24.50, under 26s £9.50
With their infectious enthusiasm and boundless vitality, it's impossible not to be swept away by the joyful atmosphere of these new versions of two old favourites as reinterpreted by South African company Isango/Portobello Under the lively direction of Mark Dornford-May, they take most liberties with Dickens' seasonal staple, turning Scrooge into a successful business woman who has worked her way up from the township (seen in video footage) and isn't prepared to give anything back. Cratchitt toils in her goldmine, and his sickly child is now a daughter, Tiny Thembisa who comes looking for sponsorship for her school. Thrillingly evoking the miners working underground with a vibrant mixture of effective lighting, dance, song and Stomp-like effects, this triumphant production starts on a high note and goes on to ensure that Dickens' message of redemption and Christmas spirit still comes across loud and clear but with a particularly South African resonance.
The Magic Flute isn't quite as inventive or moving but it's just as vivacious. Mozart's operatic score has been attractively rearranged for a mini orchestra of marimbas and half-filled glass bottles played by the cast with broad smiles of pure enjoyment. The xylophonic sounds create a unique lilting rhythm against which Tamino sets out to save Pamino, daughter of the Queen of the Night, from the high priest Sarastro. Masonic rituals are replaced by Xhosa-like rites of passage, but all ends happily in this relocated allegory in which even Zamile Gantana's tubby, weak-willed but rather endearing Papageno finally gets his equally tubby gal.
Young Vic, The Cut, SE1 (020-7922 2922). Until January 19. £21.50-£24.50, under 26s £9.50
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